Suspender-buckle



(No Model.) I 0. OPPENHEIMER. SUSPENDER BUCKLE.

No. 443,258. Patented Dec. 23, 1890.

'M/ QMMNQN I v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFER,

OSCAR OPPENHEIMER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

SUSPENDER-BUCKLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 443,258, dated December 23, 1890.

Application filed June 3, 1890. Serial No. 354,082. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, OSCAR OPPENHEIMER, a citizen of the United States, residing atPhiladelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Suspender- Buckles; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention.

My invention relates to buckles for suspenders, belts, &c., having for its object to simplify and cheapen the construction and increase the efficiency of the same; and it consists of certain details of construction and in the combination of parts, as hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and as clearly shown in the accompanying drawings, where- 111- Figure 1 is a plan View of the complete buckle in position for grasping the webbing. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the buckle in the reverse position for allowing the webbing. to be drawn through. Figs. 3 and 5 are side elevations of the buckle in the positions shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. at is a vertical longitudinal section of the buckle and the webbing, the latter being in the grasp of the former.

A represents one portion of the buckleframe, which is approximately of rectangular shape, having its lower end or cross-bar a bent upwardly at an angle relatively to the faces of the side bars co a and its upper cross-bar bent inwardly between its ends toward the cross-bar a, forming an angular offset B, with its sides I) 17 parallel with the side bars a a and its base parallel with the crossbar a, which base is formed by the metallic sleeve 12 which serves to secure the ends of the wire composing the frame A, as shown by the dotted lines in Fig; 2, such ends being lettered b Z).

O is a flat metallic bar secured at its ends 0 c by the same passingaround and hugging the side bars a a of the frame A, and prevented from sliding thereon by the depressions in said side bars, in which the said ends are shown as resting. This latter bar, which also serves to brace the frame A, has integral therewith on its upper edge and at right angles with its face an upwardly-extending serrated or toothed flange o designed and adapted to engage and retain the webbing D in the manner hereinafter described.

E represents another wire frame of approximately rectangular shape, having its lower end or extension turned and doubled upon itself so as to form the hook E, and the outwardly-inclin ed portions 6, which pass through the slot of the metallic sleeve F, then outwardly at right angles to and meeting the side bars 6 through said sleeve, the latter having formed integral therewith midway between the ends of its slot the tongue f, which rests at its outer end underneath the hookE' and forms a spring-snap therefor. It will be observed that the lower ends of the side bars 6 are bent downwardly and formed with inclines e the result being that the portions of the frame E which sustain the sleeve F and the hook B are in a plane slightly below that of the side bars a a of the frame A, while the side bars 6 of the frame E are parallel with and adjacent to but in a plane above said side bars a C62. The side bars 6 terminate in the ends a which extend inwardly a short distance at right angles with said side bars and toward each other until they meet the sides I) b of the offset B, around which they are loosely bent, as at e, and form slideways for the frame E on the frame A, the cross-bar a of the latter being above the side bars 6 and slide thereon, forming a slideway I for said frame A at its lower end, which frame is prevented from lateral movement to the undesired extent by the contact of the bar 0 with the under side of the side bars e, such bar alsopreventing the disengagement of the two frames from their operative relation.

G represents a flat plate or pressure-bar, which at its ends g g is secured to the frame E in slight depressions on the side bars a by being turned around and hugging the same, the inner face of this pressure-barbeing above and sufflciently far away from the points of the serrated flange c to allow of the webbing being crowded between and the teeth forced into such webbing by the action of said bar.

The operation is as follows: The webbing D is first passed through from beneath the plate G over the serrated flange 0 it being presupposed that the various parts are in the positions shown in Figs. 2 and 5 of the drawings, and the usual suspender-loop (not shown in the drawings) is attached to the hook E, then down again under the frame E, as shown in Figs. 1, 9, and l Draft is then exerted on the webbing until the desired adjustment of the buckle thereon, such draft being unimpeded by reason of the fact that the cross bar a rests at the foot of the incline e-, thus widening the space between the serrated flange and the pressure-bar G. Then the frame A is pushed upwardly, sliding on the ways 7) I), causing the cross-bar a to ride up the i11- cline 6' against the resistance offered by the thickness ofthe webbing, resulting in a wedgelike action and the forcing of the serrations into said webbing, and bringing the serrated flange under the pressure-bar G, in which position the cross-bar (L will remain on the horizontal portions of the side bars e, by reason of the friction between their meeting surfaces, caused by the jammin gof saidcross-baron said side bars as a result of the aforesaid wedging action. Thus the webbing is tightly secured against slipping through the buckle until the parts are again placed in the position shown in Figs. 2 and 5, and the result. for which this invention is designed is attained.

\Vhile it is considered preferable to make the buckle hereinbefore described of wire, it may be found desirable in some cases to stamp the parts out of flat metal and bend them into the proper shapes. Furthermore, the particular form of hook for the suspenderloop hereinbefore specified is not essential to the operation of my invention. Therefore other forms of hooks may be used to advantage. It may also be found desirable to form a serrated or toothed flange on the plate G instead of on the plate C, in which case the latter would operate as the pressure-bar. Still further, it may be found desirable to entirely dispense with the teeth on the flange, so as to render the same smooth, all of which I consider within the scope of my invention.

I am aware that Suspender-buckles have been heretofore devised having one portion thereof sliding upon the other. Therefore I do not wish to be understood as claiming such feature, broadly.

\Vhat I claim as my invention isas follows:

1. In a buckle, thecombination of the frame A, with the offset B therein and the cross-bar a, the frame E, with its ends 6 encircling the sides I) Z) of said ofiset and provided with the inclines e for said crossbar, a lip or flange secured to one of said frames, and a bar or plate on the other frame, between which is held the webbing, substantially as specified.

2. In abuckle, the combination of the frame A, with the offset 13 therein and the cross-bar a, the frame E, with its ends 6 encircling the sides I) b of said offset and provided with the inclines e for said cross-bar, the plate 0, with the serrated flange c thereon, secured to the frame A, and the plate G, secured to the frame E, between which flange and plate G is interposed the webbing, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 31st. day of May, A. I). 1890.

OSCAR OPPICNIIEIDIER.

Witnesses:

WM. 1i. POWELL, R. DALE SPARI-IAWK. 

